houghton



L. T. HOUGHTONL YARN TENSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY h 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Mac a7- SWSW.

L. T. HOUGHTON..

. YARN TENSION DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED IuIY I. 1918.

Patented May 13, 191% 2 SHEETSr-SHEET 2- UNITED sr :rns PATENT orr on, 1

LEWIs'r. nouenroiv, or wonons'rnn, nassnonusnrrs.

Application filed. July 1, 1918. Serial No. 242,704.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS T. HoUoH'roN, acitizen of the United States, residingat l/Vorcester in the count 1 ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts have invented anew and usefulYarn-Tension Device, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to a device for applying tension to yarn, andalthough capable of general use is especially adaptedto act on the yarnas it passes from the; bobbin to a spool on a spooler or other rewindingmachine. l U The principal objects of this invention are to provide adevice of this character which will operate efficiently with yarn ofeither the finest or coarsest character, and especially to provide meansfor normally holding the tension fingers positively locked down in theiroperative position for tensioning when they are moved thereto so thatany tension thatthe yarn may put on these fingers will not swing themback toward the cooperating guide rods which support the yarn; toprovide means for automatically rendering the locking means effectivewhenever'the tension fingers are moved into the position for applyingtension to the yarn;

to provide means cooperating therewith whereby when the fingersare movedback they will have no natural tendency to swing down into operativeposition, but will re-- main back out of theway; to provide acon:struction in which the operative shall be .free after having onceadjustedfjthe'device to open and close it as often t as "necessarywithout giving any attention whatever to holding it in either position;to provide for holding the fingers down in operative position withoutapplying any spring tension to them or weights; and to provide meanswhereby when the tenslon device 1s located in horizontal position thetension fingers will be pivoted below the yarn supporting and guide rodsat a position intermediate of their ends so that when raised they moveback substantially to the rear ends thereof and project up from them soas to constitute a limit for the yarn, thus preventing the operativefrom carelessly placing the yarn too far back to engage therods andfacilitating the threading by avoiding entanglement of the yarn. Theinvention also involvesin some of ts forms means whereby the tenslondevice w ll be so formed as to be 7 Specification of Letters Batent.

invention PatentedMay 13, 1919.

capable of application directly: to the longitudinal supporting rod onthe spooler thus simplifying it "andalso the ordinary yarn guide whichis always present. l The invention also involves improvements indetailsof construction and combinations of parts as will appearhereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings; in which i iFigure 1 is a side elevation of apreferred embodimentof this invention;1

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with parts shown in section; a it Fig.8 isan end elevation showing the two extreme positions of the tensionfingers;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the bracket on which the tension fingers arepivoted;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the releasing device;

Fig. 6 isa plan of another form ofthe Fig 7 isasectional view of thesame on line 7-7 of Fig.6; i

Fig. 8 is asectional view of the same on the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an end view of a third form in whichthe invention can beemployed, and

Fig-10 is a similar view showing the parts inoperative instead ofinoperative position. In previous yarn tension devices which I haveinvented; I have provided yielding means for holding the tension fingersin their operative position at all times so as to assure sufficienttension but also allow the tension fingers to. be released from controlof. the spring and swing up whenever the tension gets too great, thusabsolutely releasin all tension. In that way when changing from light toheavy yarn the necessary adjustments were made of'coursebut the size andstrength of the yarn that could: be run was limited by the resistance ofthe spring which could not be changed'readily.; Therefore those devicesif designed to run with light yarn could not always take the coarsestgrades. But in this case I have dispensed with the releasing spring forthe purposeof securing the necessary tension and provided means forpositively ipreventing the tension being released even when it reaches amaximum although the tension fingers are capable of a slight free play.As my tensionfingers are adjustable toward and from the rods whichsupport the yarn, I can adjust the tension to a lower degree when amoper-y ing the yarn guide ating on fine yarns and the coarseness andstrength of the yarn that can be run is not limited in any way.

The form of theinvention illustrated on the first sheet of drawingsinvolves a construction in which the yarn tension device is mounted upona longitudinal supporting rod 10 on the spooler, and the yarn is guidedfrom a bobbin 11 to a spool 12 as usual. I have shown the ordinary yarnguide 13 provided 'with a downwardly projecting portion 14 and a.semi-circular recess just above the same. This is provided for cl amptotherod 10 with the aid J of a complementary member 15 ordinarily clampedto it by a bolt These usual parts I have retained, but I have made amodification by castingtwo pins 16 into the member 15, passing themthrough a plate'l7 and heading themover on the other side. In this waythe member 15' is formed as a part of the plate 17, and this and theyarn guide'are securely clamped directly to the rod10.- "Thus- I do awaywith several elements Offexpensel The plate 17 constitutes the supportfor the tension device. As I have heretofore shown in my priorapplications, this support is provided with a plurality of stationarywire rods 20 constituting a series of guides presenting a substantiallyhorizontal supporting surface forv the yarn to be tensioned; The plate17 is provided with a slot 21, and adjustably mounted along this slot isa'bracket 22. On thisbracket are two opposite integral walls 23,- thesame prefer ably being formed of a single piece of sheet metal, andthese walls are perforated-to provide bearings for a pivot rod 24.Thispivot rod is provided with a handle 25 fixedly secured thereto forturning it. The pivot rod is capable of a slight longitudinal motion inits'bearingsand is provided with a pin 26 and collar 27 against whichcollar bears the end of a spring 28. Theother end-of this spring bearson one end-29 of a sheet metal frame 30 which is mounted on the rodinside the walls 23. This frame is provided with a horizontal slot 31into which the end of th'e'pin 26 projects so that this pin servesthe'additional purpose of causing the frame 30 'to' 'swing with the rodalways.

The spring .28 forces the rod to the right in thefor'in shown in thedrawings so that when it is turned down to the operative position asindicated in FigsJ-l and 2 and in full lines in Fig. '3, an eccentricpin 33 onthe handle 25 will entera perforation 34 in the end wall'23'andpositively lock the rod'in' that position as far as swingingmotionis'concerned.

Thisframe 30 has fixed to it a series of yarn guides 35' whichconstitute tension fingers and alternate with therods 20. The device is'shown in full lines inFig: 3-in operative position and also in Figs. 1and 2. When it is desired to thread the device, the handle 25 is pulledforward so as to release the pin 33 from the perforation 34: and turnedto the position indicated in Fig. 3 in dotted lines. This swings thetension fingers back through the spaces between the supporting and guiderods 20 and leaves the space above the latter entirely free andunobstructed so that the operative will have no difficulty in placingthe yarn in proper position along these rods. They are depressed atpoints 36 between their bases and ends to facilitate this operation, andit is further facilitated by the fact that the fingers 35 extendupwardly at the rear ends of the rods 20 and form a stop so that theyarn cannot be placed too far back. This is a feature of some importanceespecially when green hands are operating the machine, and it is broughtabout by the fact that the fingers 35 are pivoted at a point below therods 20 and slightly in front of their rear ends.

It will be seen, of course, that after the thread is laid over the rods20 the fingers 35 are moved down either by manipulating the handle 25 orby swinging them down by taking hold of their outer ends. However theyare brought down, as soon as they reach their full operative position,the pin 33 is automatically pulled into the perforation 34 by the spring28 and from then on the tension fingers are positively locked in theiroperativeposition. I provide a slight play so that they may moveslightly under different conditions of tension. This is provided bymaking the perforation 34: a little larger than'the pin 33.

- In this way it will be seen that no matter what the tension, thetension fingers will not give or be displaced, and the device thereforeis capable of use with the heaviest yarn. As explained in my priorapplications. the vertical adjustment of the bracket 22 enables me toregulate the device so that it can be used for yarns of the weakestcharacter also, but even in that case the locking feature is employed inthis form of the invention.

A further feature of this construction is that the spring 28 puts enoughpressure on the rod so that in addition to the fact that. the fingers 35are held in their inclined inoperative threading position by gravity,there is also a frictional force due to the bearing'of the pin 33 on theouter surface of the wall 23 to prevent their accidental dropping backinto operative position. so that the operator having placed them ineither position has no fear that they will ever get out of itaccidentally.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 most of theconstruction. above described is also present and will not be describedin detail, but the pivot rod 44:

on which the tensionyfingers 45 are adapted to swing is pivoted totheframe 47 at its left end in the ordinary way simply. by passing thecylindrical pivot rod through a circular hole in the end wall thereof.At the righthand end thereof, however, the circular hole 418 isprovidedwith a flat offset 49 in the form of a slot, and the pivot rodat that end is flattened as shown'at 50 so as to be capable of movinginto this slot, and on the back there is a spring 51 which presses onthe frame 52which supports the fingers 45 and therefore tends to movethe flat end 50 into the slot 49 whenever these parts are turned to aposition permitting it. Therefore when the tension fingers are broughtdown to operative position, they are auto matically locked there by theaction of the spring 51 causing this motion, and when it is desired tothread the device that is accomplished merely by pressing, preferablysuddenly, on an upwardly extending end 53 of one of the fingers 45 so asto release the end 50 fromthe slot i9. This pressing action naturallytakes effect in an upward motion so that one motion unlocks the deviceand swings the fingers up to the thread illg position, which issubstantially the same as that illustrated in Fig. 3. Inthis case, asidefrom many of the advantages mentioned in connection with the form shownin Figs. 1 to 5, the arm 52 extends up over the device when in threadingposition and furnishes a counterweight to hold the fingers up as well asa rest for the left armofthe operator which is the natural position theoperator takes in piecing. ,This is done at the right with the left armextending, over the tension device. VVi th the hand thus restricted, theyarn is simply dropped on the supporting rods and the guide fingers thenbrought down by a singe motion of the left.

arm. As stated, the device automatically locks in that position.

In the form shown in the last two figures, the automatic locking of thedevice in a positive manner is secured by locating the pivot rod 54considerably forward of the position shown in the other figures, itbeing mounted on a bracket 55, details of which need not be described.Furthermore, a frame 56 is pivoted on the rod 54: and extends rearwardlytherefrom toward the supporting plate. From a projection 57 at itsextreme end the tension rods 58 extend. These are bent at 5,9 to receivethe yarn, and it will be seen that the point at which the yarn engagesthe under sides of these fingers is at the rear of the pivot rod 54.Therefore any pressure exerted by the yarn will be exerted in adirection to hold the fingers 58 in their tensioning position and cannotpossibly act to swing them over to the threading position or dislodgethem from the position for proper operation. Supporting rods 60 areshown extending forward only a little beyond the point 59. spring 61 isillustrated for holding theframe56 in. its operative. position andprovided with a stop 62 for limiting its motion in that direction. Theadj 11st: ment 63 isv shown-similar to that in the other views. a i

a By referring to Fig. 9, the position-o1": the parts when they areturned back for thread ing will be obvious. Ihave shown thefine gers 58as connected at the end by a sheet metal memberfi i constituting ahandle for operating the device and also a. weight for assisting inholding it in either extreme position.-

Theremarks made in connection with the other tormsof the invention arein general applicable here too. In this case, as in those, a strong pullon the yarn will not lave any tendency whatever to release the tensionfingers from their operative position. This is the principle on whichall of these devices operate. At the same time in all forms the tensionfingers can be very easily released from this condition and thrown backinto the. threading position where they all act to limit the position inwhich the yarn can. be applied, and although in the other cases they.areheld back both by gravity and by spring pressureor friction, in thiscase they are held back only by gravity which is all that is necessaryin .view of the position of the pivot I'Od 54.

Although. I have illustrated and described only three forms of theinvention, Ilam aware of the fact that many other modifica-f tions canbe: made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing fromthe scope ofthe invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of constructionherein shown and described, but what I do claim is 1. A yarn tensiondevice comprising two series of spaced guides for receiving andtensioning the yarn between them, one series of guides being movablebodily through the spaces between the others, and means forantomatically locking the movable guides positively in tensioningposition when moved thereto.

2. A yarn tension device comprising two series-of guides for receivingand tensioning the yarn between them, one series of guides being pivotedon a transverse axis, and readily releasable means for automatically andpositively locking the pivoted guides in the tensioning position whenturned thereto.

3. A yarn tension device comprising two series of guides for receivingand tensioning the yarn between them, one series of guides being pivotedon a transverse axis, and releasable means for automatically locking thepivoted guides in the tensioning posiport, and a but giving themengagement for automatically locking the pivoted guides in thetensioning position when turned thereto, and a spring for moving thenotch and projection together.

6. A yarn tension device 'comprisingtwo series of guides for receivingand tensioning the yarn between them, one series of guides being pivotedon a transverse axis, readily releasable means for automatically lockingthe pivoted guides in the tensioning position when turned thereto, saidmeans comprising a projection and notch adapted to come into engagementat that time, and

. a handle for disengagingithe projection and juxtaposition, 3 5

notch operable independently of any action of the'yarn.

7 7. A yarn tension device comprising two series of spaced thread guidesarranged in one series being movable back beyond the other to permitthreading and down through theother series to bring them into positionfor tensioning the yarn, and means whereby said movable series of guideswill be held positively against move- 40 Inent toward the other wheneverit has Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the will be held positively reached tensioning position, saidmeans being arranged to allow them a slight play.

8. A yarn tension device comprising rods for supporting the yarn whilethreading, tension fingers alternating with said rods adapted to pass upand down between them for providing the tension one forthreading thedevice and the other for tensioning, and means whereby when the fingersare moved to tensioning position with the yarn threaded through themthey against any lifting action of the yarn.

9; A yarn tension device comprising rods for supporting the yarn whilethreading, tension fingers alternating with said rods adapted to passbetween them for providing the tension, means whereby said fingers canbe moved back beyond the rods to a position crossing them so as to leavean unobstructed space above the rods and in front of the fingers forthreading purpose and means for automatically and positively lockingsaid fingers positively in one extreme position when turned thereto.

10. A yarn tension device comprising two series of guides for receivingand tensioning the yarn between them, one series of guides being pivotedon a transverse axis, means for automatically locking the pivoted guidesin the tensioning position when turned thereto, said pivoted guidesbeing arranged to be held back in threading position by gravity, andadditional means for preventing their being accidentally moved away fromthat position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

LEWIS T. HOUGHTON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

to two positions,

